VERSAILLES, Ky. (LEX 18) — On a snowy and unseasonably cold early November afternoon, the grounds and visitor center at the Woodford Reserve Distillery were packed. Some were taking a tour of the distillery warehouse, while others were sipping one of the offerings here.
“We are a working distillery that provides whiskey around the world, so it is a large operation, but we still have a very organic and quaint feel,” said Megan Breier, the Homeplace Manager for Woodford Reserve.
Holiday-themed bottles and gifts are already for sale here, and sales of those are pretty brisk each year. This place is a cornerstone of Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail, given its consistency and worldwide notoriety. The latter has been achieved in part by a partnership that places millions of eyes on the Woodford label.
“Oh, it’s extremely important. This partnership between Woodford Reserve and Churchill Downs at the Derby is the perfect partnership,” Breier stated.
The distillery has become famous for its annual Derby label bottle, and the one we saw retails for $15,000. $1,500 will get you a single pour.
“All of the wood that was used to age this amazing whiskey inside was actually seasoned inside the winner's circle at Churchill Downs,” Breier said.
The distillery is also conveniently located, not far from I-64, and if you’re heading west from Lexington, it’s among the first stops you’d make for a day on the trail. And for all its success, it’s the distillery’s partnership with the community that it seems to value the most.
“We have a donations committee, and I will say every donation goes towards this county and surrounding counties,” Breier said.
Woodford does produce some variations of its flavors and aging process, but it never deviates from what it’s always done best. And what’s put the city and this distillery on the map.
“Still, it has the integrity of our Woodford Reserve brand that our Master Distiller, Elizabeth McCall, has worked to identify and nourish,” she said.
Make no mistake: there are new challenges, and in this economy, they’re having to deal with tariffs on spirits and consumers who are fighting inflation while trying to stretch every dollar. But Breier says, if nothing else, they’re still seeing tremendous foot traffic on a weekly basis.
“A record-breaking number of folks are visiting the distillery,” she said.
It would be hard to argue, given the crowd that was here on a cold Monday.
“I think it’s a level of shock (to some visitors) that such a well-known brand operates out what feels somewhat small,” Breier said.
Breier was asked about what makes the distillery the perfect place to visit in her estimation.
“How approachable our master distillers are and willing to share their knowledge. It really is about true, southern hospitality,” she said.
